It seems every game for Newcastle this season is an important game, and the game today at Chelsea is no different.
But the expectation today are not high this afternoon. That’s very unlike the last two game when we played the bottom two teams and only got a single point with extremely poor displays. In the last 5 years at Chelsea, Newcastle have not scored, and the cumulative score is 16-0 in the London club’s favor.
So if anybody was to have a bet on this game and went for Newcastle, they may end up in a hospital for the disillusioned. But this is Newcastle, and the team’s terrible inconsistency this season may be an advantage in today’s game. Bigger shocks have happened in football, as we all know.
As far as the team go Chelsea are having a bad time of it right now with both injuries and susepensions. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is out with a thigh injury, with Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole suspended, having both been sent off with straight red cards in their Boxing Day 4-4 draw with Aston Villa. Villa looked the better side in the the first half before conceding a penalty just minutes before the interval, and Zat Knight was sent off for that challenge. The game then turned a few times before ending up all square, when Gareth Barry equalized in the last minute with a penalty conceded by Ashley Cole. It was just a terrific game to watch.
John Terry (foot), Carlo Cudicini (rib), Didier Drogba (knee), Florent Malouda (knee) and Claude Makelele (ear) are also out of the Chelsea side so there’s not doubt their side is weakened by the absence of their best players.
Of course Newcastle have their own problems and Joey Barton will not play after being remanded in custody in Liverpool, charged with common assault and affray. In short, he’s in the slammer. Striker Michael Owen (thigh) could return to the substitutes’ bench, and Claudio Cacapa and Nicky Butt may figure after being rested at Wigan.
We expect Newcastle to line up as follows in an attacking 4-4-2 formation:
Given
Beye Faye Taylor N’Zogbia
Milner Emre Butt Duff
Viduka Smith (c)
Subs: Harper Cacapa Geremi Owen Enrique
That team on paper looks well balanced and quite strong. We think Sam may give young Oba Martins a rest today, and we’d like to see Jose Enrique play some part in the game. He was obviously frustrated coming on near the end in the terrible Wigan game and Jose needs to be given an outing shortly, and should be given a chance today.
That’s what we think. How about you?
Comments very welcome, and we warmly welcome Chelsea fans to our web-site today. 😀
23 comments so far
Indian toon
Dec 29, 2007 at 12:14 PM
Comment #12-1 to newcastle. YES Y NOT!!!!!
Magjp
Dec 29, 2007 at 12:32 PM
Comment #2Agree!! WIN for Newcastle!!!
Graham
Dec 29, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Comment #3Have you both been on the egg nog this morning?
Callum
Dec 29, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Comment #4We wont even have a shot at goal so i dont think we’ll be winning 2-1 and the way our defence is playing we wont draw 0-0 neither so we’ll lose.
geordiesmh
Dec 29, 2007 at 12:58 PM
Comment #5Lawro spelling it out for Big Fat Head on match of the day AMAZING !!! Shearer must of been bending his ear…. No crisis at Newcastle he must be the only one on Tyneside who thinks that, ignorant FAT IDIOT !!!!
Ausgeordie
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Comment #6Yeah why not! Were gonna win and then we can forget about it and pretend we beat derby and take the points there instead 🙂
geordiesmh
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:10 PM
Comment #7sorry i mean football focus
Rob Kirton
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:12 PM
Comment #8“All we are saying – is give us a shot….”
big pea ov the weab
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:24 PM
Comment #9do u lot call your selfs fans you should b givving sam support no greif u mugs a think every toon fan should get the idea of being 1 of the top teams in england n start showing support to the club we love so all u wankers who slag us off get on the metro n f**k off to sunderland you closet mackams
Leo
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Comment #10any online coverage of the match?
preferably sopcast because that is the best, and last time it was on tvants i got some crazy asian rock band instead! haha
big pea ov the weab
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:26 PM
Comment #11edd is there any team news yet ? a mean a no joeys not going to b there hes other wise engaged but any team news would be apreciated any 1 no if the games on line any were
Dragoner
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:28 PM
Comment #12LOL me too Leo, that was awful, AND i had to wait like 20minutes for it to come up to.
1-0 last minute header from Faye or Beye.
COME ON THE TOON!
Brandon Lee, Malaysia
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:14 PM
Comment #13stick viv big sam… give him time…he is not a geordie..he needs to understand more..
Pi55 Off Sam
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:18 PM
Comment #14442????????? Do you have an idiot writing this report? Sam does not know the meaning of 442!
Rob Kirton
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:21 PM
Comment #15Been announced on Radio Newcastle – Oba up front by himself. Could prove to be intersting as they say….
Pi55 Off Sam
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:26 PM
Comment #16Could proove to be a drubbing
Marguerite
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:28 PM
Comment #17Rob – A long afternoon ahead then?
Rob Kirton
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:35 PM
Comment #18Marguerite: Maybe so, though apart from forced changes through injury / suspension Chelsea have decided to drop 5 and play a good few second stringers – so you never know…
It could be as a result of their poor performance against Villa or maybe they just don’t rate us, and they are saving their big guns for Fulham next week !!!
Southern_Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Comment #19Shay Given
Claudio Caçapa
Steven Taylor
Habib Beye
Damien Duff
Charles N’Zogbia
Abdoulaye Faye
Nicky Butt
James Milner
Alan Smith
Obafemi Martins
David Rozehnal
Steve Harper
Mark Viduka
Michael Owen
Emre
dougnufc
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Comment #20Faye playing as DMC yeah?
Southern_Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 2:38 PM
Comment #21Looks like it, or we’re playing three central defenders.
brett wilkes
Dec 29, 2007 at 3:02 PM
Comment #22I agree wiv Big pea of the weab!!!
lets support wor boys and keep giving them a fan base to play for understandably we dont pay our hard earned cash to watch a shower os shite but if we can consistently back the boys the performances will improve ten fold , FACT
Pi55 Off Sam
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:54 PM
Comment #23Brett has no brain….. FACT!